Blaze of Glory: Kiara's Tale
by Grypinh the Moonfox
Summary: Those of you who pay any attention to k entertainment know but probably have almost forgotten about Blaze, the recent recruit of clan inFAMOUS. her backstory is a mystery to most, so here is an illumination. in progress
1. Chapter 1

A Life Apart: Kiara's Tale

_My life used to be so simple, so easy. Too easy. I am glad for the intervention of the Fates to make my life what it is, in Clan Infamous... to make me, who I am._

Chapter 1: In the Flow of the Mist

Let us begin where all beginnings reside: at the beginning. I was once Samharka the viera in Feywood's Alimos Village. My job was to be a woodwarder. As such, I was allowed patrol of the woods so long as I stayed out of sight and caused no unnecessary bloodshed. I would make my rounds and be done with it, for I rather had come to resent my job, as any who was as young as I would after a short while. Little happend for us, outside of the occasional Marlboro or Deadly Nightshade creature from the Mists of the Woods. We were taught to read the flow of the Mists to watch the outside world and the world within our shrouded borders. Thus, we were often the most informed of hume progression, in their fickle deeds and feeble technology, of the vieran Tribes, and more welcoming, albeit more forewarning to visitors of the dangers.

One day, the Mists took on a sinister aura, coming from among the fields of illusions. Shortly after, my best comrade, a bangaa by the name of Ma' Gennan (though he preferred John) was changed dramatically by some unknown force. He had always been a bit gruff, but he soon became as harsh as a Westersand sandstorm in his manner. Worse, his left eye, recently injured in combat with a Behemoth, began to turn completely red. This was a dark omen in our tribe, called the Devil's Eye, and he was soon cast out. Such changes in residents of our tribe were not uncommon, but such a dark omen was not a thing to be ignored. Last I heard, he had taken up residence in Balfonheim under the alias of Bloodshot, but this only from travelers through our village, some of whom were not to be entirely trusted, but this is a matter for a different time. Our village was worried what these two omens might mean, and they sent me, as their best scout, to investigate during the time I next hunted.

As I sought the purpose of this dark current, I came across a strange structure, one that seemed made by humes long ago. I had heard tell of such a place from my elders, and was warned to stay away from it if ever found. My young age, however gave in to foolish curiosity, and I began to investigate its boundaries. Along my travels, I came across a strange piece of stone that glowed like a dying ember in a fire. Collecting this, I went along with my mission, and made my way back to report. Little did I know that as I did so, the Stone worked its strange Magicks upon me, altering my form and changing my life forever; for this was no ordinary stone, but a legendary Nethicite Shard, one of the largest ever known in even Vieran history, and its ancient Magics altered my Mist to the point of nonrecognition.

No beast fell to my arrow that night, and I headed back to my village. Upon returning, I was bewildered to note everyone in my village recoiling as if struck when they beheld me, and many viera whispered among each other. Unaware of the changes, I did not yet know the reason for their strange behavior. Only once I reached the Elder Warder's quarters did I come to know of my shift. A mirror was present, and I then became aware that I was no longer just viera. I was the highest sign of misfortune in our village, a being we called Vul'kit. Multiple tails, fox ears, and eyes of the brightest blue. Only one Vul'kit was known to come to existence every thousand years, and the world always suffered when that occured. Truly a dark wind was blowing, one of the greatest trials since the war at the origin of Ivalice between Esper and Occuria.

"How did this come to be? Samharka, what have you done?" The Elder was highly distressed, and still she believed the old customs. It was believed a Vul'kit had truly angered the Wood and was given a form best befitting of such a troublemaker.

I, of course, was no such troublemaker. "Nothing! I have done naught but what you asked!" Of course, then I remembered the stone I found, so I pulled it out. "I found this out on my patrol, in the lands of illusions. Might this be a cause?" The elder took one look and recoiled from me as one stung.

"What you have done, it is worse than any deed done in this village for over a thousand years! That is a stone of the Occuria, a piece known as nethicite, whose mist can alter any being to monstrous forms. Among us, it could cause the mist to drive us mad, that we go into a blind rage and reveal the darkest of our sides! I beg of you, put that away from us, as well as yourself, and live in exile for all your days! Samharka, you are no longer welcome in our village, and will be treated as an enemy among us! Leave at once, never to be seen again!" The elder forced me out of her house, and I was ushered out, bewildered and hurt. Why did my actions mean exile? What was so wrong with my form? I thought it looked beautiful, and did not see the harm in it, as my tribe had regularily seen forms change in their warders, as the Mist affected them to reveal their natures and place in our village. In fact, a sister of one of my friends had been changed two years back, so that she became known as the Mu Queen among friends and family, and she was treated with honor and respect for her medicinal skills and great empathy with others. Nonetheless, I had changed, and now I was being taken away from my village, my home, and told to never return. Hurt, confused, and unsure of myself, I fled the hard glares of those who once considered myself friends. I didn't dare to look back.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Seeking the Power to End This

I sat for the next three days at the junction of Golmore and my lost home, the Feywood. I knew not what to do next, all my life had been spent in the Wood, and I was still young and unknowledgable of the outside world. Few monsters attacked me, seeming to be afraid of the stone. The few that did soon learned of their mistake, attacking a distressed ex-warder of the Wood, as I tore them apart and used their remains to sustain me. I felt an inkling of that rage the elder spoke of then, but it simply lurked underneath, never rising to the surface unless I called for it. When I did, enemies meant naught to me, and the whole world could burn under my burning fury if I so wished.

It was after one such occasion I was reminded of a weapon from the annals of our history in the frozen wastes of Paramina, a weapon that could destroy such things as nethicite. Despite the power the stone had given me, I had come to hate it for its role in my current situation. Therefore, I sought a way to destroy it in hopes of my redemption. As such, I immediately set through the Golmore, not daring to return to the Feywood, for Paramina in the east. No beast dared block my path.

Upon reaching a glade, there lay a grassy hillock, more verdant even than the surrounding jungle in its singularity. I knew of its real purpose, yet it refused to move to challenge me. However, the voice of the Golmore wood spoke to me through this body.

"What are you, that you pass through, yet none of my children, even the greatest of which who lies here, dare to challenge you?" It was a cool, soothing voice, softer and younger than that of the Feywood. I believed this important that it would contact me, so I demed to answer.

"I am Vul'kit, viera changed by the Mists of the Feywood doomed to exile by her tribe. I bear a piece of nethicite I seek to destroy, which also wards off many of your children. I request safe passage that I may atone myself in this way." The Wood became more contemplative, weighing my words and my request.

"Why seek the destruction of that which gives you strength? To any, would it not seem foolishness? Nethicite is merely a means to gain power, as are many things of my woods."

"And so are there also things that test one's will and strength obtained, such as your child here. I believe this to be of that variety of quest. Shoud such tests be successful, are you not made stronger that way as well?" I spoke this part very deliberately, for I had realized what was happening here. Indeed, such a test was being set upon me here, to show I had the will to continue. The Wood acknowledged my answer by sealing the exits. Two treants stepped down from hidden pedestals to challenge me.

"Perhaps. However, I cannot guarantee your safety from my children of your old kind, for I merely speak with them, not control them. Therefore, show me your strength and will to survive here, and I will let you pass." The Elder Wyrm finally awoke, and all three came to assault me. Quickly, I set an arrow to my bow and fired.

"I wish not to fight, but to continue. You dare to show a wood warder hostility? Even the Wood will be destroyed if a flame consumes it, and I am that flame!" The Rage within me awakened, and I felt my Mist alight with flame from deep within. What was happening to me? I could not control my body or tongue as it began to speak from my deepest, darkest core of the recesses of my mind. "_Hail of Fiery Darts!"_ The arrow I shot exploded, and the splinters caught aflame. They became smaller arrows, which hailed and consumed the treants in flames. I could not stop, though, and the entirety of my consciousness became a white blank in which I found myself aflame and face to face with a being like myself. There, a new battle waged, a war against my darker self, who could only wish the world a fiery death with me responsible.

As we fought, my darkness and I, she spoke with the voice of the Wood, yet she was far crueler than any wood could have been. "You would remove that which could give you a hand over your own destiny? Over the destinies of others? Pathetic." She spat, and the land became ablaze with flame. The heat became almost unbearable. I screamed in agony, and she laughed at my pain, even as she screamed in the same pain, creating a duet of voices in a macabre song of pain and perverse pleasure.

Trying to endure the intense heat, I reached for another arrow, my bow in hand again. I pointed it at her, and managed to fire. She laughed at this, and burst as if she were a flame herself, my arrow passing through her and burning up in the intense heat. I, refusing to quit, managed to nock another arrow and fire, this meeting with the same result. She smiled savagely and mocked me as I struggled to nock a third.

"Ohhh, look at that! The malformed fox is such a valiant fighter, continuing even when it is clearly hopeless; how cute! Here, let me help you with that, I will stand directly in front of your arrow, and not even move an inch elsewhere! You can simply pull back and fire, and I'll be gone!" She did exactly as she said she would, but I was having difficulty pulling back the string. The temperature continued to rise, and I sweat profusely. Soon after, the bow caught fire, burning my hands. I finally managed to grit my teeth and pull the arrow, and I fired, the arrow flying straight into her core. She staggered back, then smiled as if she planned to be struck. The arrow cauht aflame and she pulled it out, whreupon it became a burning sword of a strange make. "Awww, looks like even that couldn't help you kill me. Here, you look to be in pain. Let me put you out of your misery!" The blade descended, but I caught it with my burning bow, somehow finding the strength to pull yet another arrow. Yet, as I pulled it back, everything faded to become the Golmore yet again.

My bow was no longer on fire, yet the glade burned around me. My arrow lay pointed straight at the head of the Elder Wyrm, who lay there awaiting the final shot, knowing it was unable to stop this savage creature such as I had been while I fought within my mind. I quickly performed the vieran sign of mercy, lowering my bow to the ground underneath my feet and firing it therein. The Elder Wyrm, surprised by this action, looked at me in wonder. That I would suddenly show it mercy when I had previously meant none was a sudden change, albeit a welcome one. The Wyrm retreated, and I sought to speak with the Wood once more.

"I no longer wish to fight; my rage has passed. I do apologize for what I have said and done while in my rage, for though I did not mean to say them, I did from the darkness of my heart, and wish to take it back!"

The Wood was silent for a long time, the entirety of which I spent standing where I was, unmoving. The embers had nearly gone out, as had my hope, when finally, it spoke.

"You have proven your strength to indeed be great, and your apology has not gone ignored. For sparing my child, and for wishing to end a fight in forgiveness, you have passed the test in full. Go, and the greatest of fortunes upon your journey.

I left Golmore with a smile on my face, but it quickly vanished when the first wind blew in Paramina. My viera clothing was nowhere near meant to hunt in this frigid cold, and immediately I was left shivering in this incredible cold. I needed to find shelter, though, so I headed deeper in, knowing of the place where knowledge and peace were held in the highest regard lay somewhere ahead, and that would be the place to find warmer clothing. I didn't take two steps, though, before two Baknamy bandits assaulted me, hoping for an easy meal and free cash. Despite the cold, the warmth I felt rise in me with the Rage was enough to allow me to easily draw my bow and strike them both down without a problem. However, once it was over, I cooled down yet again, and it felt colder than ever before. Trekking deeper, I ran into some white Wolves, who again assumed a freezing viera would be an easy meal. Again, I turned them away, but now I felt even colder still. A blizzard had started up as well, chilling me to the bone. Soon, I fell, and things began to fade out. The snow felt so comfortable, and I no longer felt cold. I knew this meant I was dying, but perhaps that was fine. I would be forever free from this curse, free from the worries of this world. If only I could die in peace, I would be satisfied...

A figure walking towards me snapped me out of my dark reverie, as my darkness kindled my body into warmth yet again. A strange creature came to me, but it was no ordinary creature, rather seeming to be a form made of Mist. It still acted like a living being, though, and untold intelligence and worry reflected in its eyes. A hume man soon followed, reflecting the same expression. Though my Rage told me to burn them, a deeper part of me knew they meant to help me, not to harm me, so I would do best to show the same courtesy.

They took me to a cave down by the frozen brook, and gave me warm clothing. This clothing only appeared to be a duster and some strange, tough cerulean pants, yet runes on the inside contained a weak fire spell that did little more than warm the wearer. Such craftsmanship was incredible, and I asked who made these. The hume, whose hair was as white as us viera, smiled.

"I did, sweet lost fox. Rest, you have come far, and your journey has only begun. I can help you, but only if you do as I ask, so that I can heal you. Your spirit is broken, and a dark rage has arisen from it. Sleep, and let me help you resolve your internal conflict."

"W-who... are you?" I was getting drowsy. Indeed, I have come a long way, and I needed rest, but I still wished to know the name of my savior.

"I am Tan Zeng, and I am here to help you, now sleep, please. We have much do do in your mind and spirit to heal you." I knew not what he meant, but just then, I felt sleep descend upon me, and all was naught...


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Fire that Burns Within

I am back in the inferno within my mindscape. As I look about, I find the heat is not so unbearable. There is a cool wind blowing, keeping me from burning as I did last time. It comes from one direction, so I seek to find its source. Passing through an archway of flames, I find my new savior Tan Zeng sitting cross legged in the clearing. As I approach the white haired hume, his eyes open, and he looks _past_ me with eyes of light grey, almost white. His look is hardened, and I turn to find his gaze lay upon my darker self, leaning on the arch I had just passed through. She held the same mocking smile as before, and still held that blade of flames within her hands. Now, however, she also held a strange gun in her left hand, which looked like a modified version of one I'd seen, called a Ras Algethi. Once she had my attention, she straightened up and shrugged, covering her body in the same attire as I had, rather than the clothing I once wore. Tan Zeng stood as well, and walked out of the clearing. My Rage, as I now knew her to be, smirked even more clearly as the arch collapsed behind him, leaving us alone in the ring of fire like some great arena. She snapped her fingers, and my vision flashed; the sky was black, the earth a great wasteland. Fire fell from the sky as rain, and yet none burned me as it touched me.

Rage stepped forward. "Ooh, is the poor fox ready for round two? You got lucky last time, awakening when you did. Not even your friend there will stop me this time, you are _**mine.**_" At that, she ran forward, planning to run me through. The heat rose as it did last time, but now I found it was cut by that cool wind. Therefore, I found it easy to pull my bow and nock an arrow. I waited for her to be right in front of me, then fired. She yet again burst into flames, passing over me in that form. She reformed yet again, and turned to face me. I talked back to her.

"No, my dark counterpart, it is _**you **_who are_** mine.**_" A warm draft blew from her, and she turned, outraged that I even dare say anything back to her. Her eyes glowed crimson and my bow snapped, turning to ash.

"_**How dare you! You will burn with the rest of this world! I am in control, not you! You, who are weak, shall bow before me as I strike your head from your body!"**_ She yet again dashed forward, and struck me across the cheek with the flat of her blade. I staggered back, then stood tall to face her. She continued to swing at me, but now I weaved and dodged from side to side, avoiding her every blow with surprising ease. Finally, she swung vertically, intending to cleave me in two, at which I clapped my hands together on her blade, catching it. Her eyes widened, and she pointed her gun at me, firing at me point blank. I dodged by bending my back until my ears touched the ground behind me, then planting my hands on the ground, performing a back handspring which I used to also kick her in the jaw. It was her turn to stagger back. When she recovered, she looked at me in absolute hatred, and the temperature rose until the cool wind became a warm draft in the intense heat. Dark tribal tattoos began etching themselves onto her face, and her eyes glen a blood red, deeper than any red I had ever seen.

"_**How is it you can defy me?! You are weak, powerless, and willing to give up what power you have! You will BURN!" **_Her body caught aflame, and she came at me with so much force that I felt her blows before they actually landed. My eyes must have been the size of dinner plates as the onslaught took its toll on my body. She moved faster than I could keep track of with her movements, even with my heightened senses being far stronger than any viera before. I soon collapsed under the sheer number of blows my body took. She was too strong; I couldn't take any more abuse like this…

"Don't give up! She is a part of you, and only a part. You are more whole, and can defeat her if you simply believe!" The voice of my savior Tan Zeng broke through my painful haze. I looked up into my Rage's eyes. She smiled cruelly as she shoved her foot into my face.

"_Aww, looks like you have a fan. But you know he's wrong, don't you? I am far more than you ever will be. __**Submit.**__ Submit to me, acknowledge my superiority, and I promise a swift death." _I stood up yet again, and looked at her with fear in my heart, yet it was mingled with confusion. How was she a part of me? How could such a monster come from me? Was I truly such a monster?

"Every person, whether hume, viera, bangaa, or seeq, is capable of both great good and great evil. It is up to you to find the justice in your heart to know which is which and control your actions." Tan Zeng's encouragement left me even more confused. Justice? My dark double snarled at Tan Zeng, her red eyes blazing and fire flickering along her curves of her seemingly frail body.

"_**Be silent! **__You aim to encourage her, yet it only falls on confused ears! Justice has naught to do with us!" _Us? She spoke as if we were connected somehow. Indeed, she never denied that we were a part of each other. Perhaps she was only a part of me… I stood tall and prepared to face her yet again as she turned her attention on me. _"Don't listen to him, sweet dearie, he only means to confuse you; this endeavor was a success, I see." _It was my turn to smirk, though.

"No, you actually cleared it all up for me. We are one, and you are only part. I will never give up, and so YOU may well submit to ME." I stood my ground at the burst of fire that rushed past me from her sheer wrath. Now she was a pure five tailed fox, ashen colored in her fur, tribal markings covering the beast. I raised my fists, prepared to tangle with her, and I found them to be aflame. Somehow, this flame held no pain for me, though; instead it was a warm, comforting sensation. The flames extended, and soon the blade that my dark counterpart had wielded was in one hand, and the gun in the other. The creature, known as Kitsu Rage, snarled and seemed to grin.

"_**Well, look at that, the poor deformed fox found my weapons. Too bad they won't help you too much; I am far stronger in this form than when I wielded them myself."**_ I looked at her calmly, almost serenely, and slowly a smirk came to my face.

"But I am far more than just you were then, either. I AM you, and I am also me. I know my path to justice, and it begins in the heart!" with that the Kitsu Rage demon leapt, and the battle for my mind, body, and soul began in earnest.

[Boss battle theme: Lunatic Illusion; Thousand Leaves Arrange (Kitsu Rage Battle Theme)]

The demon rushed at me faster than I could blink, but I stood my ground and raised both implements in a cross. The instant it clashed with me, I pulled them apart again, sliding backward as I did so. This sliced the demon in its left flank, and I then opened fire with the gun as I slid backward. The bullets left streamers of blood coming off of the demon as they pierced the skin. It roared, and the temperature rose almost a hundred degrees as its tails caught aflame. A Red aura glen off her, and suddenly five Will o' Wisp flames flew in and collided with me, burning my every section of my body. I stayed standing, somehow, though, and shook myself back out of the daze they left me in. I turned to see the fox demon pouncing yet again. I simply cartwheeled to the side, then used the momentum of that to land a heavy slash across the demon's left flank yet again. She whirled around herself, whacking me with her tails of fire, and I found myself flying towards the wall of flame behind me. Performing an aerial recovery, I spread my five tails like drag parachutes, and flipped to the ground. Landing on all fours, I made a pounce of my own, dashing up to her and jumping over her, firing bullets into her while airborne. Once I landed, I spun yet again, slashing off one of her tails. The Kitsu Rage immediately collapsed, severely weakened by the loss of such an important appendage. This didn't last long, however, as she performed a backward flip and landed behind me, proceeding to breathe flames from her mouth. I was barely able to cross my weapons to deflect the worst of the blow, and she began to press forward, intensifying the heat. I slowly closed the cross, until I was simply holding both weapons parallel to my body. I had almost given up hope of escaping the onslaught when something miraculous happened then.

My blade and gun yet again set ablaze, and they merged to become one weapon. I had only heard of such a weapon, for it was little known in this land. A gunblade had formed from the union of gun, sword, and flame. I used it to cleave the demon's flames in two, then dashed in to strike the demon on its flank yet again, only on the other side. She screamed in rage, and swept at me with one paw. I easily sidestepped this, noting how much the demon had slowed down since the battle began. I then stepped behind her yet again and slashed off two more tails, being sure to pull the trigger of the blade at each impact. The result was two fiery explosions and two tails completely annihilated.

Kitsu Rage turned yet again, but I was ready for her next attack, another fiery burst of burning breath. Once it finished, I dived forward to dodge underneath her pouncing bite and sliced yet another tail off. Now only one remained. As she turned to breathe fiery retribution upon me, I raised my blade and thrust, impaling her down her throat. As she choked and squirmed, I leaned in close to speak one final message to her.

"I know my path. Justice will prevail, and you will help me achieve it. Now you submit to me; you are MINE!" I pulled the trigger, and the explosion ripped her apart from the inside out. A final scream of hatred came from her as she was eradicated completely and my vision turned white yet again.

[End music]

When my vision returned to me, I was standing in a burnt forest glade. With a jolt, I realized it was the one where the Elder Wyrm lay. However, no sign of the guardian beast was present. Tan Zeng walked in through one entrance, a confident and possibly proud smile worn plainly on his face. Through the other entrance, my dark counterpart stepped through, but she seemed different this time. She glen with a warm orange aura, the same as that of the Nethicite shard I carried with me. No longer did the world around seem to burn like before whenever she was near; rather, she seemed to simply warm the air, making everything seem comfortable and calm. This was Peace, not Rage, and I knew I could trust her to know when the time for justice came.

"Well done, Kiara. You have conquered your darkness and found justice in your heart, earning you a new name." Kiara; what a wonderful name. It rang true in my soul, and spoke how I feel inside. I nodded and spoke in a voice that was choked with emotion.

"I accept my name, and my destiny. Whatever lies ahead of me, I will follow the path of justice all my days, long though they may be." As I spoke these words, Peace came over to me and turned completely to Mist, becoming a burning orange effigy, before merging with me. Tan Zeng nodded, then walked out.

"Now it is time to awaken." Those were his final words; the world turned black then, and I awoke in his cave back at Paramina, yet again forever changed from who I once was.


End file.
